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New Year Brings Rain Storms To Riverbank

The Stanislaus River shows a high water level and outflows were increased at New Melones Reservoir, upstream from Jacob Myers Park on Sunday. Flooding has been a concern along all waterways in the Central Valley because of the warm nature of the rain falling here and in the mountains, causing excessive runoff of recent snows accumulated there. Ric McGinnis/The News

Ric McGinnis

News Correspindent

Updated:
Jan. 10, 2017, 8:47 a.m.

The first week of 2017 brought a few showers to the Riverbank area, with a heavier dose promised by forecasters for last weekend and the ensuing 10-day period. The promise came through, as the City of Action and surrounding region was pelted by roughly three inches of rain over the period from Saturday through Monday. Additional wet weather is anticipated this week as well.

Rainwater was pooling at some intersections and along some streets on Saturday, Jan. 7 and the Stanislaus River was showing signs of increased outflows on Sunday as a warm rain continued. The thermometer on Sunday peaked in the 60s, as a ‘Pineapple Express’ storm system brought the rain with the warm temperatures.

Forecasters were predicting a high runoff of the accumulated snow in the mountains because of the tropical nature of the early storm. Threats of local flooding had cities across the valley making sand and bags available to their residents at the end of the week. Many took advantage of them as a precautionary measure.

Locally, they were available outside the Riverbank City Corporation Yard on High Street.

Power outages in the Sacramento area were reported, along with large trees toppling in the high winds and soaked root systems. There were no widespread reported power outages in the Oakdale-Riverbank-Escalon areas due to the storm.

The prediction for Monday this week was for scattered showers decreasing, followed by the chance for significant rain on Tuesday, and a colder storm rolling in later, with clearing expected by Friday.